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Girl Battles One of History's Worst Cases of Epilepsy

By AAN Staff
january 3, 2003  09:48 am
Girl Battles One of History's Worst Cases of Epilepsy
Jamie Libenstein's slow descent into hell began midway through her kindergarten year. That's when the little girl suffered her first epileptic seizure--which, sadly, was only a taste of the horror to come. Jamie's since been diagnosed as having one of the worst cases of epilepsy ever seen by medical science. She's endured "starvation diets," narcotic comas that have put her near death, and seemingly medieval surgical procedures. She's watched as her case has led to bitter arguments between some of the world's most gifted surgeons--and hastened the breakup of her parents' marriage. Still, she and her family have persevered, pushing past personal hardship to keep fighting for a cure. In the medical mystery "Jamie's World," former New Times Los Angeles staff writer Susan Goldsmith tells the story of a truly remarkable eleven-year-old girl.
View full article at New Times Web Extra